Ayodhya: Security heightened in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday in preparation for the 32nd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. Police forces, along with the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and commandos, were deployed across the city to maintain law and order.
According to Balachari Dubey, Superintendent of Police Security for Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, a heavy presence of security personnel, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), ATS, and civil police, has been established.
Regular patrols are being conducted, and vehicles and people are being checked to ensure there are no security threats. The authorities are also focused on making sure that the devotees who visit the city for religious purposes do not face any inconvenience.
This increase in security also comes amid heightened tensions in Sambhal district, where extra measures have been taken ahead of Friday prayers at the Shahi Jama Masjid. The security in Sambhal follows a violent incident on November 24, when stones were thrown during an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination at the Mughal-era mosque.
The examination, which was part of a petition filed in a local court, sought to prove that the mosque was originally the site of a Hindu temple, the Harihar temple. The stone-pelting incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals and several injuries, including those of officials and locals.
On December 4, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with other party members, attempted to visit Sambhal to meet the families of the victims. However, they were stopped by police at the Ghazipur border and were unable to proceed to the violence-hit area. They later returned to Delhi.
Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a large group of ‘kar sevaks’ (volunteers) in Ayodhya, sparking widespread riots across the country. In the aftermath, Muslim homes in Ayodhya were destroyed, and riots led to the deaths of over 1,000 people.
